


The Shadows of the Sun

by ImperialMint



Series: shadows [itanaru] [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-03
Updated: 2014-10-03
Packaged: 2018-02-19 18:51:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2399069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImperialMint/pseuds/ImperialMint
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five years, Oblivion wrought havoc on the world and Naruto left Konoha with everyone believing him to be dead. Now, a new threat has raised its head with the power to destroy entire nations in one swoop. The remaining nations are crumbling, but there is a sliver of hope in the mysterious village, Taiyōgakure, the village of the sun. Not everything is as it seems here though and there are far more secrets than anyone could have imagined lying in wait.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_There is a village, legends say, that exists in gold, is draped with silver and is shadowed with bronze. The ruler has a hundred ears, a thousand eyes and a million hearts. Fear not the Village of the Sun, but be wary of the situation it presents to you. For, if you should stumble across the village on your travels, you are in desperate need of the kindness of its ruler and the sanctity of its walls._

_\- Ōgama Sennin, Myōbokuzan, Central Reserve_

**Chapter One**

**.**

Hatake Kakashi ignored the sound of paper being flicked through as he dozed lightly in a patch of sun. It wasn't recommended to sleep in the Hokage's office, but Kakashi was never one to follow official rules aside from when they were vital. He'd come to Tsunade's office for some peace, the village too loud for him today. While he was only a forerunner for the Rokudaime title, many people were beginning to turn to Kakashi for trivial matters they didn't want to take to Tsunade, not wanting to bother her, but having no problem burdening Kakashi.

And while he cared for the village and its people, he didn't appreciate being involved in a brawl between two families over a potted plant. Such matters were best left for the people themselves to sort out, as long as no serious amount of blood was shed.

"I'm sorry I'm such a bore to your mastery, Kakashi, but you could at least pay a small attention to me?"

Kakashi opened his eye slowly, smiling a Tsunade's thunderous look. It was understandable, but Kakashi was surprised she'd broken away from paperwork so soon. Shizune had tightened Tsunade's access to sake and she'd buried herself in paperwork ever since  _that_ fight. A backlog had been cleared and now Tsunade kept up to date and predicted what needed to be done with stunning accuracy.

Of course it did nothing to dispel the rumours that she was preparing to step down and hand the title of Hokage to someone else.

While no one had said anything outright, everyone knew Tsunade had been affected heavily with Naruto's loss. They all had, Kakashi included, and while they all knew the pain of losing someone, it had been worse with Naruto. Along the line, they had all assumed he was there to stay, undefeatable, but those thoughts had been crushed in their last fight with Oblivion.

The village had been remorseful, bowing their heads first in surprise and then genuine apology to their Hikage. Many had paid their respects to Naruto and his site still carried marks of respect that were from outside of his closest circle. He was remembered by many, even though he had never fully been loved by them in life.

As Tsunade flipped another page, Kakashi turned to the door as it opened and Shizune rushed in. She was panting heavily, leaning on the door with a pale face.

"Tsunade-sama!" she called, voice desperate. "The scouts trailing Mizugakure have reported in. There's nothing left," she said, voice shaking as she pulled a scroll from her pocket and entered the room.

"Just as with Iwagakure, the village has been annihilated. There's nothing left; the landscape is ruined as if it's been burnt. Nothing could have survived that." Shizune bit her lip as Tsunade began to scan the un-coded message.

"There have been reports of survivors from Iwa trying to find the legendary Taiyōgakure. Perhaps those who survived the attack on Mizu will also be able to find salvation?" It was a risk, they all knew, but many people would take a fable with earnest if there was hope.

Kakashi noticed Tsunade sit upright in her chair, the scroll open on her desk. He looked through it quickly, noticing that it didn't reveal anything other than what Shizune had already spoke of.

The threat hd been looming over them for a few weeks now, though everyone had prayed it was a fluke. Something, and no one could discern what it was, had destroyed Iwagakue in a few seconds flat. Instantly aid had gone out to the village, but there had been nothing to salvage, save for people who had managed to escape or been saved.

Instantly, the remaining shinobi nations had turned to each other, tracking what the others were doing and monitoring every small detail, hoping to find the perpetrator. Instead, what they had found was another attack, only this time on Mizu.

Whatever it was, it was impossible to track, impossible to predict and was striking the Five Great Nations one by one.

Kakashi remembered that Sakura had been one of those sent to inspect Iwa. She'd been part of a medical team and helped to heal those who had escaped, though they were few and far between compared to what Iwa had once been. She'd returned exhausted, both mentally and physically, almost unable to form her report from the tears that had stuck in her throat.

It had been carnage. They hadn't stood a chance.

And neither had Mizu. No matter how much they had put stock in defence and been on high alert, they still hadn't stood a chance against an invisible enemy.

There was a new war creeping upon them, Kakashi could feel it in his bones. Yet, this wars was unlike any before. The enemy was invisible and so powerful. It wanted the destruction of Nations, picking them off easily one by one.

That wasn't the only ramification though. Trust had been lost, with trade between villages closed down entirely. Villagers, shinobi and civilian alike, were afraid to deal with outsiders, were afraid to even step outside the village walls. Everything the villages had done to seek peace in the past few years – from treaties to promises – had crumbled in few weeks, everyone pointing their finger in as many directions as they could.

Before, it could have been passed off as a grudge against Iwa and died down in the months to come. A tragedy, but nothing more. It was the news that Mizu had gone exactly the same way that cemented their future from now on. It wasn't a random attack. Those behind it were out for blood.

There was one organisation that Kakashi had thought of who could be behind the attacks. They surely had enough power, especially if they had added the Kyūbi to their ranks, but they were lacking a motive. After five years, what did the Akatsuki have to gain from suddenly destroying Iwa and Mizu?

The alliance had shown Konoha that the Akatsuki weren't completely alien and heartless. They had never seemed the type to do something like this, but Kakashi knew better than not to discount ideas. The Akatsuki, though they had entered a shaky alliance with Konoha, were still powerful, spontaneous and quiet.

After the fight with Oblivion, the Akatsuki had vanished, covering their tracks and storing themselves away. It had been five years and no one had been able to pick up on a hint of a trail, though not from lack of trying. So many scouting teams had been sent out, trying to answer questions that had remained after the battle had cleared, so many of which related to Naruto.

It was no lie that Konoha had been tested after they'd lost their Hikage. It was a testament to his strength and determination that a whole ANBU team was needed to fill his place, but that wasn't the only way they'd been tested. It had been the people who had loved him that had been tested, left behind when someone so young had been taken.

"Nothing but a charred remain. Exactly the same as Iwa, even down to the smell of burnt cloves." Tsunade's voice was grim at the mention of cloves and it was understandable. Cloves were there for no other reason but to mark the site as a ritual. They were used as incense in temples and family homes, but now, now they had been burn across wastelands in a mocking tribute.

Yet, it was the only hint of a clue they had. It wasn't much to go on – and many of Konoha's council had objected at first that it could be a sick ritual, but Kakashi had reminded them of Hidan of the Akatsuki and his own, twisted rituals. Twisted to the outside population, yet they made perfect sense to the one carrying out the task.

"What do we do?" Tsunade asked to the room, voice low and tired.

Kakashi looked away, unsure how to answer. For all her vices and tendency to lash out, Tsunade had remained Hokage for an amazing amount of time. Even the Sandaime, after being re-instated, hadn't been through the length of time Tsunade had. Kakashi respected all kages, but Tsunade won that extra respect from her perseverance and determination. To see her so lost now was a blow to the gut, but it couldn't be helped, not in this situation.

"Is it possible there are survivors? I know some accounts tell of people walking across the land, only to vanish again, but are they just hopeful accounts?" Shizune bit her lip. "Or do they actually relate to true survivors. If they do-"

"We need to speak to them," Tsunade finished with a nod. "But the risks are too high. It would take three days to get to Mizu and even then, how do we go about finding people? They're likely to have scattered if they're even still alive."

Kakashi shook his head, unable to contribute. Was it worth trying to find survivors when none had appeared yet? Was it worth giving up on them?

"A hawk," Kakashi said. "We need an aerial view and the quickest way is to send out a hawk."

Tsunade understood what he was trying to say at once. "Inoichi can take control of the bird to scout for us," she said and nodded to Shizune, who left in a hurry and without another word.

It was simply a ticking bomb now, everyone wondering whether it would be Suna, Kumo or Konoha who would be targeted next. There was no doubt that it would be one of the three – whoever was behind the attacks was out for the five nations. It was understandable that people were scared, and they were looking for safety and salvation in myths and legends.

Kakashi watched as Tsunade sighed heavily. He felt a heavy weight descend on his shoulders and wondered if they would ever be able to be free of the load. It had been hanging around ever since Naruto had vanished (not dead, because they had never found a body and there was the smallest, slightest chance he could still be out there in the world) and Kakashi doubted it would ever leave them.

They couldn't dwell on personal matters though. Scouts had been sent out and while nothing could really be done before they had more information, Tsunade needed to start drawing up ideas on what their next steps would be. That was why Kakashi was here. He had to help and support his Hokage in every way possible.

Kakashi thought about the myths and legends that were being spoken of in hushed tones. There was a village, separate from the great nations and any hidden village that existed. It was the village of the sun – Taiyōgakure – a beacon of hope and prosperity that lived in secrecy… and yet they weren't callous or prejudiced. Tales spoke of this village extending its hand to those who needed its help, opening their wide gates and allowing starving men and pained women into its golden village.

Many people snorted at the idea of a village of gold hidden away, but Kakashi wanted to place stock in it. He wanted a place of hope and dreams to exist, even though he knew such a village shouldn't (couldn't?) exist in the shinobi world. Still, Kakashi wanted the safe haven to be real, for if these attacks on the villages continued, he had no idea what they would all do.

It was also a village that Naruto would have been proud of. A village that would open its doors to those in need and a village so bright and bold in this dark world. Kakashi had shared these thoughts with Tsunade and knew that she agreed with them.

Hope was a strange thing, Kakashi reckoned. They had no idea that this village existed aside from stories told by patient parents to petrified children, but they could all wish, couldn't they?

"Inoichi-san is here, Tsunade-sama," Shizune called from outside and the door opened. Inoichi was grim faced (weren't they all these days?) and nodded his head respectfully before coming to stand next to Kakashi.

"A hawk has been sent already. We're ready to do the mind-transfer when it reaches the air space we want." Inoichi looked as though he was going to be sick and Kakashi couldn't blame the man. He'd seen bad things in his time, but what he was going to look at now was going to be a crushing blow, something that had wiped out entire  _nations_.

"The hawk's being tracked. It was summoned near the site and should only be a few minutes before I'm able to use my technique." Inoichi sat down in the chair provided and began weaving hand signals. They were early, but it was understandable he'd want to get this over and done with as soon as he could.

Waiting was the killer in these situations. Waiting and feeling hopeless were two horrible emotions and Kakashi knew that if he could have done something other than sitting here thinking about fabled villages then he would grasp it with both hands. As it was, though, all he could do was sit and wait, like almost everyone else.

"I'm going to bring you into the visual transmission. It will feel uncomfortable, but please bear with it." Inoichi's voice was calm and Kakashi felt something begin to weave around him, a seal no doubt. He wasn't afraid of discomfort – they were shinobi after all and he'd certainly been in worse situations than this.

As if a bucket of cold water had been tipped over his head, Kakashi's body jolted and his vision clouded. It cleared a split second later, but it was no longer frontal human vision he could see, but the sharp eyes of a scouting hawk. His line of vision changed as the bird flapped its wings and then Inoichi guided its sight towards the ground, looking over the destruction that had once been Mizu.

Buildings lay in crumbled heaps, smoke rising from fires that still raged. No one was around to put them out and they would burn themselves out soon. The technique used to decimate Mizu had probably affected the climate and Kakashi wondered how long it would take for rain to fall and mist to descend.

It was clear that no one could have survived at the heart of the blast. Craters were left and everything was charred, a trail of destruction and devastation that had claimed a village.

A gust of wind caught the hawk's wings and they flew faster, moving over the land. Nothing remained of human civilisation except for ruins and bodies. The earth split away in places too, as if a doton technique had been used, creating a misshapen landscape that looked entirely wrong.

It was the human bodies that rang true what had been done. No one had had any time to evacuate and so many people had perished. Not even the great villages were safe and Kakashi had to look away from the human remains after a while.

Figures darted through the wasteland though, scouts from other nations trying to find out what had happened and look for any information on  _how_ or  _why._  Kakashi remembered that Hyūga Neji had been dispatched along with his fourth genin team and scanned the figures he could see, wondering if he'd made it yet.

It took a moment, but the head of the Hyūga house stool amongst the chaos, scanning around. He was alone, thankfully, no doubt realising the obvious. Twelve year olds may be strong and ready to be shinobi, but taking them into this wasteland was another matter entirely.

Neji seemed to notice them and signalled, a quick message that he would be reporting as soon as he could. He returned to his job after that and Kakashi watched him for a little while longer, noting how stiff he held himself and how he picked his way carefully through the mess. It looked awful from up here and Kakashi couldn't fathom what it must be like  _down_ there.

They circled once more before Inoichi began to pull them back. Kakashi's vision faded again and then he was back in the Hokage's office, beside Inoichi and opposite a grim Tsunade, far away from the destruction and death that lay over Mizu.

"No doubt Neji will be able to confirm that the smell of the herbs was present. Mizu looks exactly as Iwa did." Tsunade's voice was shaky and Kakashi couldn't blame her. She was a medical nin and she would have been shaken at the condition of the deceased, knowing that not even her medical prowess could have saved them.

"I want every ninja who is jōnin level and above to come to a council meeting. We need more information and we need it soon. The new missions I'll be setting will be S-classed and will have priority. It means the chūnin and genin levels will be taxed, but I'd rather that than see our village fall blindly into this." Tsunade stood, a heavy frown on her face.

"After the meeting, Inoichi, I want you to head to Mizu and gather everything that might help. Take samples; I'll send a forensic team with you too." Her frown deepened for a moment before Tsunade turned to Kakashi.

"Ambassadors. Name two good ones," she ordered and Kakashi ran through a list of people in his mind, knowing there were only two people who would be up to the job Tsunade wanted them for.

"Sarutobi Konohamaru and Uchiha Sasuke," Kakashi replied and Tsunade nodded slowly.

"Considering the timing, a kage meeting is impractical. Who knows if it's even possible… I doubt the Raikage and Kazekage trust us well at the moment, just as us with them. Konohamaru will be a good choice for Suna, as is Sasuke going to Kumo." Her voice was steady and she called Shizune in, setting her off to get the two nominated men.

The choices were good, Kakashi thought. Though Konohamaru was young for an ambassador, he held a place on the council and was well respected by peers and subordinates alike, no easy feat for a twenty-two year old. He was a handy conversationalist and quick thinking, a skill that had been put to use more than once in sticky situations.

Sasuke was a trickier choice, though Kakashi couldn't think of anyone better for the job. He was head of ANBU, maintaining the position for three years and not looking to back down anytime soon, so there was no doubt he could take on some of the best in a fight. He had a silver tongue too and inspired people from afar. They respected him and loved him with fear, the opposite to Konohamaru's love. He would be perfect to take on the Raikage.

"I'll see you in an hour's time at the council meeting," Tsunade said and both Kakashi and Inoichi stood. "Things are about to become even more difficult around here and I'm sorry for that," she said, sounding regretful.

"We'll do everything we can to protect our home," Inoichi said and Kakashi nodded firmly.

"We'll stop them," Kakashi added and he mirrored the sad smiles he received.

It wasn't whether they would stop them, but whether they'd stop them in  _time_.

**.**

Two figures sat atop a large hill, eyes tracking the sun as it began to descend. The evening threw up blues, pinks and oranges in equal measure, but as magnificent a sunset as it was, it didn't hold their attention for long.

Like everyone now, they were aware of the destruction of Mizu. It wasn't why they were on the hill and you'd have to be deaf not to have heard of the tragedy.

"There," a low voice said and the figures both looked to a group of ragged people who had drawn close to the hill. This was why they were on this hill, under this sunset; for these people.

"Help," one voice said, weak with fatigue.

"Can you help us?" another called as the group neared them, pausing at the base of the hill. Someone fell to the ground and another wailed in despair, the day's events beginning to sink in and take effect on bodies that had been running purely on adrenaline.

These were the ones who had survived.

"You've had a tough journey from Mizu," the blonde haired man said, beginning his trek down the hill. He smiled kindly at the people, waiting for his partner before speaking again.

"You came here on rumours and tales, didn't you?" he said softly, looking to a woman who stood ahead of the others. She was covered in dirt and had seen many years, but she was strong, a proud matriarch leading her family to safety.

"Taiyōgakure may be a legend to those without need of it, but we are desperate. It is our only hope," she said, voice unwavering and eyes holding his own. Someone shifted a child higher on their back and his partner spoke.

"It isn't far now. We're here to guide you."

As soon as the words were said, the atmosphere changed. The group picked itself up, smiling that their hopes and dreams had been answered. They were about to be safe, protected and cared for after everything had been ripped away from the.

"I'll take them," the blonde haired man said, nodding to his partner. "You keep on lookout for more."

His companion left with a nod and he looked at the group, counting how many he was to escort and looking on their path ahead. He was in charge of them now, the one who would protect them until they reached Taiyōgakure's gates.

"My name is Deidara," he said, shrugging the cloak he wore higher about himself. Night was beginning to trespass and the temperature was lowering. "I am one of the councillors of Taiyōgakure and part of the team looking for those from Iwa and Mizu."

The group followed him, thankful at last to have somewhere to truly go.

"We have a processing system at the moment," Deidara said as he began on a familiar route, deep into the mountains that surrounded them. "You'll spend the night in the emergency camps before we can get our personal details tomorrow."

Deidara looked over his shoulder, unsurprised that only the matriarch-woman was listening. Their system wasn't perfect, but they needed to know who was coming into their village so that relatives could be notified and the council could track who might be here for the wrong reasons.

Even Taiyōgakure wanted to prevent this tragedy occurring again, after all.

"It'll be explained properly when you wake up," Deidara said and the matriarch nodded.

They walked for thirty minutes. It wasn't a comfortable walk, but they all managed it, Deidara not needing to carry anyone with his clay birds. It was better that way – less noticeable for the hundreds of scouting birds that were about in the current climate.

They came to a large jut of rock situated between two huge mountains. It looked odd and unnatural, though no one who was no allowed entry would be able to get inside. These were the gates to Taiyōgakure, the passage that would protect so many people, an impenetrable stronghold.

Small lines were scratched into the surface of the rock and Deidara ran his hands over the lines, not needing to ask the guards for entry. Only those on the council were granted such permissions and the stones began to move aside, revealing the golden village that many had only dreamt about.

The camp for the survivors of the disaster was set out and bustling. Deidara led his group there, handing them over to a genin who was taking names and assigning tents. He took over their care and called for a medic nin, taking them to their tent immediately. They would be fed, given medical care and then allowed to rest for as long as they needed. Further questions could wait until they had been cared for.

Deidara left to return to Sasori. He hadn't moved an inch, not that Deidara had been expecting him to have moved position – their little area was one of the best in their designated range.

"Konoha have made the first move. Two scouts were sent to Kumo and Suna," Sasori said quietly and Deidara raised an eyebrow.

"It'll be hard to get them to work together," he said. "I'm not too surprised that Konoha made the first move."

Sasori hummed in reply and they maintained watch as the night thickened around them. Stars were shining in the sky and the moon was a small sliver, but they kept to their posts, scanning for any more survivors who had come this way.

"How long will it be?" Sasori asked and Deidara bowed his head slightly, not bothering to answer.

"We should head back now. Taiyōkage is holding the meeting soon." Sasori simply nodded and they began the walk back to their village.

They entered quietly, greeting the ninja on guard with curt nods and scanning over the camp. Everything was under control and they moved onwards, Deidara taking a moment to look at the array of small houses being built for their newcomers. They wouldn't be finished for a few more weeks, but they were being built and that was what mattered. The survivors would have homes soon.

Despite night having fallen, it was still easy to see how Taiyōgakure achieved its name. It lay in a valley and, by day, was a perfect sun trap. While the buildings were made from beige or grey stone and the roofs were topped with slate tiles, the corners of the tiled roofs were topped with golden plating, gleaming even in the moonlight. Golden-winged hoses topped official and state buildings, the Pegasus horses looking down on the village and protecting it. While it wasn't gaudy, it showcased the wealth and the prosperity of the village, becoming a literal beacon of light.

Sasori and Deidara walked towards an iron grey tower, the only one of its kind. It was the tallest and held the most golden and elaborate decoration, full bodied horses guarding the roof and marking it as the kage's building.

The council room lay on the top floor, next to the kage's office, and Deidara didn't find it surprising that everyone but the kage was waiting already. They were greeted amicably by the group as they took their seats, waiting for their leader.

"At least it's a nice night this time," a voice called and the door to the room shut behind the Taiyōkage as he entered, taking his seat and sighing. "Mizu was destroyed in the same way as Iwa, there's no doubt about it."

The group murmured its consensus and the Taiyokage shrugged his cloak off. Like the rest of his councillors and top officials, he wore a black cloak with gold trim, but his was stamped with a winged horse, making it clear what his position was.

"How is the emergency camp dealing?" he asked, looking to a man on his left.

"Pretty fucking well," the man muttered. "I've been keeping an eye on things and they're like fucking machines down there, running on highest output possible. I'd say promote them all – nothing is left undone."

"Thank you Hidan," the Taiyōkage said, not bothering to comment on the language. They were all used to his expletives by now. "I think a promotion would be good for them… I had a look at the situation myself and I agree that they're running everything perfectly."

Deidara raised his hand suddenly, taking advantage of the pause in conversation. While he didn't want to interrupt, what Sasori had picked up upon earlier was important information.

"Konoha has finally made their move. Two scouts were sent to Kumo and Suna," he finished and the Taiyōkage nodded thoughtfully.

"As expected. Finally something that we predicted has happened, first thing in a while." He smiled widely, laughing pathetically at their situation.

They all fell silent for a moment before their leader spoke once again.

"We have to think about who has the power to do this. We're useless if all we can do is shelter those affected by this. We have to  _do_ something to prevent it." Their leader's voice was firm and the man across from the Taiyōkage raised a hand, indicating he wanted to speak.

"Is it possible Orochimaru isn't as dead as we have all assumed? Many have commented that the decimation seems ritualistic, at least from what Nagato has told us." Deidara looked at Itachi and nodded thoughtfully. Nagato, or rather Pein, had been an eyewitness to Iwa's destruction and had commented on the odd way it had happened; carefully planned and staged.

"Orochimaru eh?" the Taiyōkage said, breaking into a grin. "If it's him then we just have to flush him out and find out what the fuck he's been plotting all these years. If it's Orochimaru then at least we have something to do."

Deidara nodded. They could at least plan something now, with an idea in mind. If it came to pass that they'd judged it wrong… they could deal with that later.

"What about the remaining nations?" a low voice said and the council turned to Madara. Though it was posed as a question, there was only one way it could be answered and their kage was the one to speak.

"We cannot remain hidden anymore. It's too soon now though, we will need to wait and plan before we reveal ourselves fully." He paused. "I won't have this village crumbling because we made a wrong choice. We're here to protect people, not throw them to the wolves."

There was no disagreement and they were each given tasks for the morning. They would have a brief meeting, but their main purpose would be to find out more about what had happened and look for more survivors.

Deidara bid goodnight to their leader and received a tired smile in reply. Seeing him look so tired and so worried pained Deidara, but there was nothing that could be done yet to help. Timing was crucial and they had to be meticulous if Orochimaru was their enemy.

"Goodnight," Deidara said as he reached his room and Sasori nodded, taking to the room beside his. Deidara fell asleep as soon as his head hit his pillow.

**.**

Days were long when one was a kage. Days were even longer when the world was on the brink of collapse, but Naruto had a good team of people he trusted at his side and he thanked them for everything they did for him. Even so, sometimes it was still overwhelming and sometimes Naruto just wanted to be coddled for a while.

"I can't lose our village Itachi," Naruto said softly as he slid his cloak back on and walked over to the lone window in the council room. It was huge, spanning almost the entire length of the wall, and he looked out at the winged horses that also marked his back.

"If I lost her and the people she protects, I don't know what I'd do."

Naruto felt arms encircle him and he gripped back tightly, turning and burrowing against Itachi. Itachi was the only one he could depend on this much and he knew the situation was the same reversed. Just as Naruto needed Taiyōgakure and her people, he needed Itachi and Itachi needed him. They were the pillars upholding the village, supported by the now-council-former-Akatsuki and the people who made Taiyōgakure who she was.

"We won't lose anyone," Itachi said, voice firm and convincing. "We'll stop whoever is behind this and take back what we've lost. They won't win," he said and Naruto smiled, kissing Itachi gently.

"I knew there was a reason I married you," Naruto muttered, pulling away and heading for the door. "We have a day of planning tomorrow," he added and Itachi nodded, dark shadows under his eyes.

"We'll begin our counter attack tomorrow," Naruto said, leaving the council room and entwining his fingers with Itachi's as they moved towards their floor. What was coming would be hard for everyone, but Taiyōgakure would not fall and they would stop this new threat, even if it meant meeting with demons from the past that Naruto had hoped to keep running from.


	2. Chapter 2

_We're not a myth. I help because I can; we help because we can. You'd do the same too, but it just so happens that you're the ones in need. Stop being noble and get inside the gates. If it's repayment you want to offer then fine! I have something for you to do that revolves around ramen and you getting it for me._

_Uzumaki Naruto, Taiyōgakure, Village Gate_

**Chapter Two**

**.**

The night was cool and crisp and Naruto looked out at the stars above from his office window. It was scarce hours since Mizu had been destroyed by the unknown force, yet it felt like days.

While he couldn't say they had anticipated it, the attack on Mizu wasn't a complete anomaly. Iwa's destruction had been far too generalised; if the attacker had been looking for something specific or a person, bringing down an entire nation would have been fruitless. As such, repeat attacks weren't to be discarded, as had been shown with Mizu.

Naruto leant back in his chair, wincing as he ran his hands through his hair. It was getting long – too long for comfort. Before long, people would be commenting how much he resembled the late Yondaime Hokage, which would be quite the compliment had Naruto not been trying to keep the fact he was alive on the quiet. It was for that reason too that he hadn't had contact with Kurama's power for years now, afraid the contact would draw unwanted attention. They still spoke, but Kurama was content to do as Naruto wished, remaining in his seal until the inevitable time to reappear came.

Looking out over the village –  _his_  village – Naruto thought back to the effort it had taken to create this stronghold, this haven. After Oblivion had been destroyed, Naruto had taken up with the Akatsuki, rethinking his life plan and healing his wounds. Itachi had been his pillar back then (and still was), when Kurama was too tired to respond and the rest of the Akatsuki were too unsure of their latest addition.

They had built this village, this community, together. It had been Konan's suggestion, but they had all contributed to it, all slaved away to make it the safe haven of legend it had become. It was a secret sanctuary, away from the choking politics of the rest of the world and the one place that no one would be turned away from if they were in need.

Taiyōgakure had started off as a small stronghold of the Akatsuki's, tucked away in a cluster of mountains. Deidara had helped to carve into the mountain range and created their infamous sun valley, small explosions that had been designed for minimal notice, building the extensive, elaborate village with no notice from the outside world. The village kept the sun in its arms, Deidara's meticulous planning having paid off, and the village certainly earnt its name.

It had only been a matter of time before people discovered Taiyōgakure and buildings had been built and farms began spreading out at the edges of the village. They were prosperous, despite limited trading with outside nations, because they all knew the pain of loss and he benefits of hard work. Generous was a word Naruto would use to describe the people he looked after, as well as one that had been used to describe him in return.

The village, first as a permanent residence for those who had been left wandering after their homes had been destroyed through various means, was now a plethora of backgrounds and stories. Naruto only had to walk down one of the market streets to see people from all five nations of the world and others from outside the jurisdiction of shinobi and samurai.

This was the place Nagato and Konan had wanted to start with the Akatsuki back in Ame. Taiyōgakure was everything they could have imagined and yet so much better for it was a fresh page, a village free of war and tragedy.

Soon, their village had become legendary and, as with all legends, spread like wildfire from the land of steam. It wasn't meant to remain a secret, but Naruto had made it clear that only those in need should find refuge in their walls. As such, there were protective seals placed across the entrance, seals that needed to be verified by a former-Akatsuki member (or Naruto) that the person coming in met their criteria. Once the seals had been verified, the person was then granted access to come and go as they pleased, able to move the very mountain itself (even if it was technically only a small part of the mountain that served as the gate).

Taiyōgakure hadn't started off as it had now. In fact, it was only when the village reached around a year and a half old that the villagers decided they wanted a leader, a kage despite Taiyōgakure not being part of the Five Nations. By then, the Akatsuki had transformed into the council of Taiyōgakure and had introduced plans to help train villagers in self-defence. Interest had gathered and soon there were calls for a ninja academy to be built and therein lay the villagers want for a kage.

There had been around five hundred inhabitants and almost every single one had voted for Naruto to become their Taiyōkage. Naruto had been shocked, but accepted gladly, marking it as one of the best days of his life. He loved his village even more than he had loved Konoha and becoming a kage the people loved was a dream come true.

The celebrations had been extravagant and lasted for an entire week. They ended with buildings installed with gold plating and the horse insignia covering Taiyōgakure, Naruto's vibrant gift to the village. They were the village of the sun and they would shine, brighter and more glorious than ever before. The children of the village had crowded around Naruto when he'd unveiled the lone ground-horse, a gleaming statue of a rearing Pegasus before the kage offices.

The door to Naruto's office opened and his attention returned to the matter at hand. Madara's face was grim, shadows under his eyes revealed as his mask lay only on one side of his face.

"I was hoping we'd lucked out somehow and it wouldn't be that bad," Naruto said simply, though they both knew it was a ridiculous statement. There was no way, after what had happened, that things 'wouldn't be that bad'.

Madara took the chair opposite him and Naruto waited for him to speak. Madara was always careful with his words and knew exactly what to say, no matter the situation.

"It's chaos," he said bluntly. "Worse than when it was just Iwa that had been targeted. The villagers are all doing their best what with the newcomers in the temporary camp area, helping to sort them out, fed and checked over… but there's only so many hands and so many people."

Naruto nodded, knowing that their camp system was far from perfect. He had tried to think of a better way of getting people in, but no one had been able to offer a better solution. At the moment, they needed to be identified, checked over for injuries, fed and then allowed to rest. There was no point giving out houses now when families were waiting to see if their beloved ones would join them and they were near death themselves.

As if he could read Naruto's thoughts, Madara said, "Don't you dare think about using kage bunshin. They need proper human contact and a kage who isn't exhausted. All these people want is to feel safe and now we know this destructive force isn't just out for one nation, we need to plan against it."

Naruto nodded, air leaving his lungs in a melancholy sigh. "I just wish we could do more. Their whole lives are gone, people they loved..."

Madara reached over the desk, hand patting Naruto's in a slight moment of reassurance.

"We're doing all we can," he said softly, drawing a nod from Naruto. "Our ninjas are scouring the surrounding areas for any sign of more survivors. We'll try to get as many people here as possible, where it's safe."

"It'll take more than Orochimaru's plots to tear down this fortress," Naruto said, the fondness he felt for his home shining through his words.

"Precisely," Madara said. "Have you heard the rumours, by the way?"

Naruto looked up, eyes shifting – as they did with his moods – from blue to curious purple. The change unnerved those who didn't understand it was a natural, unconscious, action for Naruto and so he tried to keep them as blue as possible. Curiosity, anger and excitement, however, left him little control.

"They say the Mizukage herself is on her way here. If the rumours are true, she'll be looking for a fight." Madara paused, a rare frown worrying his brow. "It's one thing for villagers to come here, but a kage? She'll want revenge for her people and want to protect them."

"You seem worried," Naruto said carefully, studying Madara's expression.

"She's known as a smooth talker," Madara replied cautiously, and Naruto nodded. He knew of Madara's past with the Sandaime Mizukage and it was clearly still a grating topic.

He digested the information with a weary nod though, accepting it for what it was.

"It's only a matter of time before someone of high-level power came here and challenged how we work." Naruto sighed, wondering if Terumi Mei could understand why Taiyōgakure wasn't about to charge into this war, even when they had all seen its effects.

Though, just because it didn't look like Taiyōgakure was striking out, didn't mean they weren't doing anything. Naruto had begun to plan counter attacks in his head and the council was prepared for a full on war meeting.

It had taken longer to establish the camp and start building work than Naruto had anticipated. Now, though, it was flowing as smoothly as could be expected and they should have enough space to accommodate the survivors, providing the attacks stopped. If they continued, they'd be hard pressed to keep up – though Naruto would make sure everyone was safe and well fed.

"Konoha has sent scouts out now. They should be arriving in Kumo and Suna soon… though I assume they'll also be trying to track us down by following other survivors." Madara's mouth twisted dispassionately. "Everyone's so convinced we're allied to the nations simply because we're rumoured to be taking survivors in. When they come looking for us, what will we do?"

Naruto sighed gently and shook his head. It wasn't really a question – Naruto would do what he always did and protect as many people as possible. If it meant staying hidden from the world then he would. If it meant unleashing the jaws of hell itself then he would gladly do that.

It was hard, though. It had been five years since he'd supposedly died, revealing his dark history in all is glory. It had been painful to leave everyone he'd ever loved and turn his back on his village, but there had been too much bad blood spilt, too many terrible memories, and there had been no option but to leave.

He'd tried explaining it to the rest of the former-Akatsuki before, though the only person who could truly understand had been Itachi. They had both sacrificed so much in their life and it had been clear that they could share their lives with no other, even without the fact they loved each other deeply.

"We'll do as we always do. Tackle the problem head on and make everything up as we go along." Naruto's smile was enough to make Madara burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the room. His head tilted backwards, mask falling back into place and muffling the laughter a little.

"There's no one else who could pull such a feat off," Madara said, amusement clouding his voice.

"Without it," Naruto quipped, "this village would be empty of horses and fun. People take themselves too seriously most of the time and if I have to spend my lunch hour galloping around the playground to make children and parents laugh, then I'll do it every day!"

Madara gave a soft laugh at the exaggeration (yes, Naruto had let children climb on him and he'd run around a playground, but it had only been the one time – too messy and too many small knees and elbow bruises left behind). Naruto followed his gaze as he looked out of the window and remembered, long ago, Madara standing at his side, confused as to why Naruto had planted horses over the village over foxes or more impressive animals – such as lions or dragons

"There are myths about horses pulling the sun across the sky. A tireless, joyful job that they continue to do, no matter how hot or heavy their load. There are stories of magnificent horses too, of wild Pegasus and the unicorns. They're a symbol of everlasting hope; the dawning of a new day." Naruto had smiled as the sun began to set, light catching the golden horses.

"Kurama is my own sigil," Naruto had said, hand coming to cup his stomach. "In a sense, he has always been bonded to my clan and it's why I could not take Itachi's name when we married."

No one had pressed for details when it had been Itachi who had taken Naruto's name, but a few eyebrows had been raised for it was an uncle through the Uzumaki bloodline who had caused Naruto so much pain before.

The answer had made sense and Madara had never questioned Naruto's choice again. The horse, winged or otherwise, was a fine choice for their village.

"It's about time," Madara said, bringing thoughts back to the meeting that was about to take place. "Shall we?"

Naruto nodded and picked up a folder from the desk. Madara opened the door and they left the office, walking the short distance to the council's meeting room. Naruto had scheduled a second meeting after allowing the council to gather more information about what had happened. This would then be used to evaluate what could be done if Taiyōgakure entered the war.

As they entered the room, Naruto smiled at the group of people who had become a family to him. Even though the partnerships had technically been dissolved between the members, they knew who worked best with each other and often migrated into these pairings.

Itachi was there, as always, and he stood as Naruto entered. Everyone looked up, cutting off their conversations to begin business.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," Naruto said. They'd only just decided to hold the meeting a few hours ago and it was only polite to thank them all for gathering.

"As you know, we're here to discuss the current climate and see if we can find any solutions to the problems." Naruto took his seat and everyone nodded slowly.

"We're not going to be able to stay unnoticed for much longer. Rumour has it that Terumi Mei will be knocking on our door in the near future and we need to be able to answer her question." Naruto shifted and the others looked down, already knowing what the question was.

"So we need to decide now whether we offer help to the five nations or simply continue to provide safety for those who need it." If it was Naruto's decision alone, it would be easier – but he had so many people depending on him and needed counsel.

Itachi leant forwards, resting his elbows on the long table and looking at everyone. "We need to consider our position first and how we can deal with the survivors here and the other villages. We have a reputation and people aren't going to be trusting at all."

Kisame snorted, glancing at Itachi before looking up at the ceiling. "Of course, but aren't you forgetting something? They're not going to be trusting because they think we're all dead."

He was right, of course, but a deep voice added "Or be under the impression we're evil. Konoha only entered into contract with us because of Naruto and they're not going to be happy if we suddenly all pop up out of the blue."

Everyone was silent as they remembered the circumstances in which they had left Konoha after a war. The Kyūbi had given them all an opening they'd needed, but had withdrawn into Naruto's seal thereafter, vanishing from sight. They'd all been weak after that and it had taken a long time to recover their chakra levels, leaving no signature for tracking behind.

They'd left and Konoha had never been given a reason to suspect Naruto might be alive. Naruto had needed the distance, too sick of being a hidden shadow, their protector Hikage, anymore. His friends hadn't known who he was anymore and Naruto had been on the verge of breaking point.

They hadn't vanished completely just after the battle though. Naruto could remember returning to watch Konoha pay tribute to the people who had died in the battle. They had pledged to remember and Naruto had simply watched, allowing his friends and family to cry under the illusion that he was gone.

The only link to the world that day had been Itachi's fingers threaded through Naruto's own. Throughout the whole thing, Itachi had simply stood by his side, offering his silent support.

"No," Naruto said to the room. "They won't be happy, but we're not left with many options. Everyone's being backed into corners and we're lucky that we're no pressed against the walls yet. Everyone's going to find out sooner or later if these attacks continue, as survivors of the attacks. We won't be able to prevent anything."

It was a fact now, after this attack on Mizu. It wasn't a random effort targeted at one person, but a force gathered on intent to simply destroy. The choice really was between sitting and waiting or being involved.

Being directly involved was harder than it sounded, though.

"I'll take a vote. After what we decide, I'll talk to the main families of Taiyōgakure and see what they think. Regardless to what we decide, they'll be safe here, but I'm not going to move without letting everyone know what we are doing."

It was one of the qualities that made Naruto the loving Kage everyone knew. He was considerate, careful to involve everyone, and knew that, no matter what, he had to be prepared. He would talk to the families who ran the major industries and see how they would feel, discuss their options and make sure everyone reached a conclusion that was acceptable for all.

"All in favour of helping, raise your hand." Naruto's eyes scanned the room, counting the raised arms.

"And against?" he said. Not a single muscle moved. Naruto smiled and stood up. "Well we have our answer then. I'll set up a meeting with the others and I expect you back in here later. We have another meeting to schedule what to do."

"What ever happened to the whimsical Naruto? The one who would make a split decision with no regrets until the end?" Madara said softly and Naruto shrugged.

"Entire villages are on the line. We hold the cards at the moment, being the place people see as salvation. We're responsible now." He chuckled, shaking his head. "Responsible. No one would ever have thought it of me!"

Naruto left, his cloak whipping at his heels. The rest of the council looked at each other, knowing that it wouldn't be long before at least some of them would move out, most likely to Konoha.

"It's a matter of time now," muttered Madara. No one had to ask what he meant, they all knew.

**.**

The Yondaime Raikage, leader of the Allied Shinobi Force, rubbed his head. He had been thinking of making this decision for days, talked about it with a few people, but he had never hoped to implement it. It was just supposed to be words, except A knew it was more than that now. There wasn't supposed to be a second attack, but now that Mizu as well as Iwa had been destroyed, the remaining three villages had to support each other.

Which was why A was about to contact Konoha in a request for help. Or at least, he would have been about to contact Konoha, if not for Samui strolling in and staring at him.

"How can I help?" A muttered, looking pointedly at her. Samui glanced at the door and nodded towards it.

"Seems like Konoha sent us a scout. He's outside," she said bluntly, a pinched look on her face. A couldn't blame her; she was as overworked as he was, though she had to keep on a lot more things and make sure it was organised for him.

She left a moment later and allowed Konoha's scout to enter. A watched as the man entered, glad that he seemed to have a good head on him as he looked at his new surroundings. Only when he was comfortable he knew his surroundings did the man settle himself into them. A watched as the man's head tilted slightly at the window, indicating he had spotted a way out and hid a smile as dark eyes connected with his own. Konoha had not only sent a scout, they had sent a highly trained shinobi.

"I would welcome you to Kumo except it's not much of a pleasant call. I'm guessing you've travelled straight here from Konoha?" A asked, surprisingly chatty. Well, if it would help sort out a plan of action, he'd talk daintily all day.

The scout nodded. "Uchiha Sasuke," he bowed and waited for A to introduce himself, though it was clear he didn't expect A to do as such.

As predicted, Uchiha continued. "I stopped for one night to sleep, but I know you'll understand when I say it was more important to get here.

"I was sent from Konoha to ask your permission to gather the remainder of our Alliance and work out what we can do together to combat this enemy." Uchiha was a good man. He skipped right to the point and said what he wanted, even if the words seemed a little stilted. So perhaps he wasn't the best with politics – who was?

A looked at him, trying to judge his character. He was a true Uchiha, the crest printed onto the breast of his clothing. He was tired, that much was clear, but there was also an underlying tiredness, as if he had many regrets and losses.

Uchiha Sasuke needed to prove himself, though. A wasn't about to let him just throw a name around and be able to gain things from Kumo. No, here in Kumo, everything was based on respect and power. Some viewed it as an archaic rule, but they had different views on everything.

"Then why are  _you_  here? Why not send your Hokage or head of council. Someone who is able to make choices for the village rather than someone who will be reporting back," A said, wanting to hear an answer of this man's own thoughts. He had to be smart, Tsunade-hime wasn't an idiot who would send an incapable idiot to meet with him.

But A was also concerned for his people and wanted to make the right decisions for them. If this man was here to begin negotiations, Uchiha had to know that nothing would be easy and he wouldn't just let Konoha dominate the field. Konoha had no idea that Kumo was a moment away for calling the meeting. It just so happened that Konoha had been that little bit faster and stepped up, alleviating the worry from A's shoulders somewhat, just so that he didn't feel as if he'd gone running for help (it was a matter of pride that B would tell him to get over).

"As you can imagine the situation in Konoha is like your own. People are scared. They need a kage in their walls to feel protected. Besides, we all know that it takes a battering ram to strike a deal with the leader of the Alliance." Uchiha quipped a smirk and A took it. He didn't bother trying to refute the claims; they were correct. He was stubborn, a bull that would not move. It took more than a handsome name to make the Raikage bend to anyone's will.

"We need to protect our people and formulate plans that will help us to protect each other. Konoha plan to send people out to find the source. We have a few clues, but we would appreciate any help." Uchiha fell silent and A sat down, resting his feet on the table.

"Help Konoha to scour the world with only a handful of clues? It's not practical. We need to be in defence rather than baiting danger." A countered. Konoha wouldn't get everything, not on his watch.

There was a small chair in front of the desk and Uchiha had taken A's cue as one to sit down himself. He looked directly into A's eyes as he spoke, a good sign for his courage though it annoyed A a little that this brat defied the norm.

"How can we defend ourselves if we have no idea how they are attacking? You could burrow yourself into the ground for all the protection it would offer, but does it actually help? No." Uchiha stood firm and A hid a mile.

This was a good indicator of why Konoha has sent Uchiha Sasuke. He was willing to reach A's levels in bargaining, something that not many people had the balls to do. With such a title as the Leader of the Alliance, A was a force to be reckoned with.

The Alliance itself had been set up four years ago when Konoha had requested meetings with all other Kages. Senju Tsunade had proposed an alliance between nations, to prosper trade routes and smooth negotiations between them. The kages of the five Shinobi nations had met in the Land of Iron and forged a tender alliance between them and the lone samurai nation. It hadn't been easy and they'd all wanted to walk out at some point, but they'd still done it.

A had been elected on his merits, his strength and ability to think things through. He had been able to battle aside the criticism on his short temper, even rein it in at points, and fought through all odds. He had become the leader and he had to think as a leader.

So when someone from Konoha turned up to negotiate some rules in the face of a crisis, he wouldn't back down. A knew from experience that things like this would benefit from careful strategies, but they simply didn't have time.

"What do you want then?" he ventured, tired of their faux cat-and-mouse game.

"I want you to strike a proper agreement. Help us and we'll help you. Start by getting people to look for any signs, talk to survivors. They've been said to be scouring the land of steam for signs of the mystery village." A looked at Uchiha as if he was mad.

"You expect me to deploy my ninja just to help your search parties? And for a village that doesn't even exist?" Uchiha stood, nodding his head as if it was really that simple.

"Then thank you for your time. Perhaps when your village is the one scouring the hills you will feel a little more hopeful it does exist. Contact Konoha if you wish to help, unlike you, we are open to suggestions." And with that, Sasuke left.

He was a nuisance and A let him go, calming his temper. He wouldn't let Uchiha leave Kumo, but he needed a while before he called him back to accept the terms of help.

Samui, with her wonderful sixth sense, looked in on him.

"When the Uchiha leaves, get someone to send him back to me. I don't want him leaving without making the deal, but I want it on my terms." He hunkered down at his table, wondering whether B was free to take his anger out with by sparring.

He ignored Samui's eye roll at his predictability

**.**

Kakashi waited patiently for the man before him to finish scribing, but it was hard when he had been painstakingly writing for nearly ten minutes. They were only supposed to be small notes, little one to send to a group of people, but the scribe was determined to make it drag on.

"Just a minute," the man said and Kakashi refused to believe him. If they were any longer, the team wouldn't be able to set out at a decent time.

Luckily, though, the man passed the small scrolls over at that time, sending Kakashi on his way. He passed on his reluctant thank yous and walked off to the tower where the messenger birds were kept. The easiest way to contact someone was to use a bird keyed directly to their chakra. It was a short-time method as the birds had to get used to the chakra signal and be in close contact, but it was quick and efficient.

The reason for the birds was to call together a varied team in order to look for anyone who could help in their investigations. They would set out for the land of steam, mainly with the intent to look for Taiyōgakure. If the village existed, then it had to hold a lot of knowledge about the attackers, or even – though Kakashi didn't want it to be so – be h ones behind the attacks.

Regardless to where they stood on the line of good and evil, Taiyōgakure held an important role in the survivor's lives. To get to the survivors, Konoha would have to look at the land of steam, if rumours and legends had been interpreted correctly and it was the land of steam the village lay in. It would be incredibly lucky if they found it, but it would not be made their main aim.

Kakashi returned to Tsunade's office where he would wait with her for the arrivals. They would come soon, knowing about the importance their mission would have, yet Kakashi hoped they would just end the waiting.

He always said it was the waiting that did it for most people. Kakashi had been there to listen, before they interrogated the man so many years ago, the fox ANBU and the dog ANBU. Naruto had told Kakashi that he was sick of waiting; waiting for the Akatsuki, for Oblivion. For death, for love, acceptance, hatred. All the things that everyone waits for in the end.

At least Naruto didn't have to go through that anymore. He was free from waiting, could make his decisions, and was free of feeling sick.

Kakashi, on the other hand, had to sit and wait for the group to trickle through. No matter how old they all got, Kakashi would always see the younger kids who had grown up rather than the men and women they had become today. He couldn't hide the fondness in his (covered) smile, no matter the circumstances.

Predictably, Sakura was the first to enter. She gave Kakashi a quick hug before she sat down, obviously still recovering from the stint she'd pulled at both the hospital and out at Iwa. Sai and Kiba entered together, silent except for the knowing look they shared.

The two men had become somewhat friends since Sakura had been on an almost permanent team with Kakashi, Tenzō and Sai. Sasuke joined them occasionally, but he had mainly been busy with work in the ANBU. Team Kakashi had become a specialised team, taking high ranked missions that weren't quite qualified for ANBU and completing them in record times.

Sai had met Kiba at a dinner Sakura and Sasuke had been invited to. He had struck a fast friendship with Kiba, trading insults over beef, and they had kept the odd friendship since.

The last to enter were Ino and Shikamaru and they joined the team quietly, nodding to their friends and waiting for orders.

"I'm sending you to the land of steam. I want you to track down as many people who are willing to give information to you in order to find the whereabouts of Taiyōgakure. In the event that you do find the village, enter and get as much information from there as you can. If it seems they are on our side, strike a deal where possible. If they exist, we need them." Tsunade sounded weary, not bothering to embellish the mission report.

The group simply nodded.

"You may meet up with Jiraiya. He's also searching for the village. The only difference is priorities; yours is to find people, his is the entrance to the village." Tsunade ran a hand through her hair, sighing.

"Come back safely. If, at any time, it looks hostile, pull back. I don't want any of you hurt on something as small as this." Kakashi nodded and Tsunade smiled.

No matter how weary they were, the prospect at getting a free mission to look for the fabled village was too good to pass up and everyone seemed ready to go despite not having fully packed yet.

"You leave when you're ready," Tsunade said and Kakashi watched everyone flee, their one chance at hope of surviving becoming closer to their grasp.

**.**

Naruto looked up and smiled. Above him stood Itachi, leaning over the bed. His hair dangled down, loose from its usual ponytail, and Naruto reached up to run his fingertips through the strands. His fingers caught on a few knots and he combed them out gently.

"Hey," he whispered, smiling at the man he loved. Naruto scooted over and Itachi climbed on top of the bed next to him, slipping an arm under Naruto's neck. He closed his eyes, Naruto feeling the brush of eyelashes against his shoulder.

"It feels like it's been ages since we last laid here doesn't it?" Naruto murmured, running a finger along the veins in Itachi's left hand. "It hasn't been that long, but it will be by the end."

Naruto propped himself up so that he could look at Itachi. If he could memorise and draw from scratch anyone's face then it would be Itachi's. He had seen Itachi's features so many times, yet each time he could never get enough.

Itachi was like a drug; addictive. Although he was good for Naruto, Itachi presence could also be counterproductive; for example, three months ago, when Naruto had to sign some papers for planning permission. He had ended up getting them reprinted after Itachi had visited him in his office and they had gotten a little carried away.

Of course that had been the butt of jokes from their friends for weeks. They'd tolerated it and ignored the barely-concealed laughter until Deidara had managed to get one of his tongues stuck to a toilet seat, courtesy of careful planning from Itachi. That was a rivalry that had never truly faded, though it had grown out of its hateful phase and Naruto knew Deidara and Itachi cared for each other.

"Whatever happens, whoever finds us, I love you," Itachi said suddenly and Naruto snorted.

"I know you've always been the sappy kind, but do you have to bring doom and gloom in as well?" Itachi smacked Naruto on the shoulder lightly and stood, retying his hair and stretching out.

"I promised I'd take an extra shift at the entrance tonight. They want some more scouts out in the dark and they're a person short at the gate. I assumed you were busy with planning and all so I agreed." Naruto nodded, understanding.

"I'll walk you down before I go back up to the office. We've finally reached an agreement, but it needs to be documented in case something goes wrong. Documents help as long as there is an organised system." He rose from their bed and stretched, just as Itachi had.

Itachi smiled, putting an arm around Naruto's shoulders as they walked. They left their home and headed for the entrance to the village, greeting the people they saw. It had been a while since Naruto and Itachi had been alone together, but they talked about nothing harder than the weather. It was pleasant, gentle conversation that showed the level of comfort and content they had found with each other. It also meant they didn't have to think about the bigger picture, think about the death and destruction around them or the new alliances being put to the test outside their walls.

They walked through the outskirts of the camp and greeted the staff there briefly. Naruto knew that they were under a lot of pressure trying to find places for everyone and set them up with proper housing in the village and knew he would have find time tomorrow to do his bit, even if it was just for support. The people deserved that much at least.

The air suddenly shifted and Naruto could feel the confrontation before he saw it. Itachi looked ahead to the skirmish at the gates, Naruto's gaze following, to see that a few people were running about, swapping quick-fire conversations.

"Naruto-sama!" one of the younger patrollers shouted as he noticed Naruto and Itachi, drawing all attention their way.

"What's the problem?" Naruto asked, wanting to solve whatever the problem was with as little fuss as possible.

The young patroller gestured to the gate, "There's a mad woman out there."

Itachi looked away to hide the smile. Naruto knew why. The barriers had been created with the former-Akatsuki members' chakra and, as such, both Itachi and Naruto could feel the chakra of the 'mad woman'. And she was no mad woman.

"Well then, I think you best let her in," Naruto said simply and moved over to the gate, just in time for the signal to go up.

The gate swung open slowly, the dark stone moving back until there was a large enough gap for the three people standing outside.

"May I introduce you to Terumi Mei, Godaime Mizukage," Naruto said, voice carrying despite the slight kerfuffle everyone had gotten themselves into.

The patrollers stilled, looking at the dishevelled yet proud woman as she stepped into the light. Mei was tired, understandably, and looked in good need of a long bath, but she was here and Naruto greeted her warmly.

"And who are you?" she said, an undeniable challenge in her words.

Naruto knew she would be difficult and felt Itachi clasp his shoulder gently before walking over to relieve someone of duty. Even without Itachi, Naruto knew he had done enough to assure Mei he was no harm from the warm look in her eyes as she inspected Taiyōgakure, taking note of the organised camps and how healthy people seemed despite their horror.

"I am Uzumaki Naruto, Taiyōkage." Naruto let her inspect him, looking into her eyes.

"By marriage?" she asked, eyes darting from his left hand and then to where Itachi had vanished off to, not missing a single thing.

"By blood," Naruto said, unashamed and unafraid to speak of his personal life. "My husband was from the Uchiha clan before he took my name."

An eyebrow raised and Naruto could see she was a beautiful woman underneath the dirt and debris.

"The Uchiha clan was always said to be a clan of good looking men," Mei said, a slight hint of elation in her voice at talking over something so silly, so trivial as men. "It's evident the men also have high standards for their lovers."

She grinned and Naruto moved to her side, letting her take his arm. Her reputation preceded her, but Naruto knew he'd have no problems being friends with Mei.

**.**


	3. Chapter 3

You can't find it by yourself because you're not in need. You won't understand it because it's too difficult for someone who's never seen the city. It's the place of laughter, and the wealth of the country seems pale in comparison to the wealth of the people. It sounds stupid... but it's the happiest place on earth, even in this devastation.

Iwa Refugee, Hi no Kuni, Unknown Checkpoint

Chapter Three

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Haruno Sakura knew exactly where she would prefer to be right now and it was not traipsing between the lands of Fire and Rain looking for a mythical village. She was tired from helping out at the hospital and looking after the wounded from Iwa, but she tried not to show it. Sakura knew she wasn't the only person in this position and she just had to deal.

It was times like these that Sakura was glad she held a simple position, not one of authority. Sure she was head of the hospital, taking over for Tsunade a few years ago, but she didn't have to have the weight of a whole village on her shoulders. Not for the first time, she wondered how Naruto had managed to cope as the Hikage for the amount of time he had, alone without any one to talk to, and her heart welled in sadness as she thought of her friend, alone and untouchable.

Sakura wasn't one to believe in fate, heaven or anything like that, but she hoped with all her might that Naruto was happy now, wherever he was. If there was anyone who deserved kindness and love, it was Uzumaki Naruto. She only wished she had realised it years before and reached a hand out to the lone shadow of a man before it was too late.

Her attention was pulled to the modern day again as Kiba held up a hand to pause, looking at the giant white dog by his side. Akamaru's head was low to the ground and he was inhaling deeply, looking up to Kiba a moment later and huffing for confirmation.

As Kiba too sniffed the air, Sakura marvelled at how well Akamaru and Kiba worked. She had seen ninja and animals work together, even with dogs such as with Kakashi's, but the pair were more than just a team. They sought reassurance and confirmation from each other, depending on the other wholly and without a doubt of trust. It must be nice, Sakura often thought, to have someone who you could trust without any hint of questioning whether they were to be trusted.

"Human presence, just one. Seems to have a slight chakra supply, possibly enough to lash out if provoked."

The team nodded, understanding the command. Whoever it was appeared to be of ninja upbringing, but whether they had been trained to control their chakra or whether they were just tired still needed to be inspected. They would approach cautiously in case the person viewed them as a threat.

Team Shikamaru had left Konoha a few hours ago, their destination the land of Steam. It was a small country, situated between the lands of Fire and Rain, but had garnered a fierce reputation due to the fact that the tales told of Taiyōgakure hiding in the sleepy mountains across the centre of the land of Steam.

With their mission being to talk to any survivors they could - hopefully bringing someone back to Konoha - they needed to search around the area supposedly holding the Village of Gold. People often migrated towards hope when it seemed all had been lost and Taiyōgakure was the very essence of hope for the survivors of the horrific, recent events. Sakura couldn't blame them for wanting to find a safe place, but how did anyone know that this Sun village even existed?

They didn't, was the simple answer, because it couldn't. No village was capable of burrowing away for years, hiding in mountains. With the amount of protection the village boasted (or rather, the stories of the village boasted), Taiyōgakure could take down villages in the blink of an eye.

How did people know it wasn't this village that was causing the destruction? No one had seen anyone who governed the village and yet everyone was happy to accept that - should it exist - Taiyōgakure was on their side.

What if the truth was harder to accept? Why did people cling to stories that could damage them further?

Sakura sighed to clear her head. She hadn't slept well since the first reports of Iwa (too much to do; not enough time) and her brain was running away with her. She had to focus on the task at hand and complete it before she could return to Konoha and sleep.

"There, to the left."

The group stopped, looking up as a bedraggled man came into view. He paused momentarily when he saw the group then carried on towards them.

"Are you looking for Taiyōgakure too?"

Sakura shook her head as Shikamaru answered, "Not really. We're looking for survivors to talk to."

The man nodded slowly, running a hand through his hair and grimacing at the amount of dirt in it. He looked slightly older than Kakashi, an eye covered and long sealing tags attached to his ears. His outfit was fitting of one belonging to Kirigakure, and Sakura assumed he was one of the many ninja looking for the fabled village.

"By the looks of it, you're all from Konoha. I suppose everyone else is feeling a little unsettled now it's happened to two villages and not just a one-off fluke?" His voice was bitter and Sakura frowned slightly.

It was understandable why he was angry. No one had really done anything after the loss of Iwa and it had taken the destruction of Kirigakure to push people into motion. Not that anyone could have done anything to stop the tragedy of Mizu, but it was easier for this man, who had lost his home, hi family, his life, to blame the other nations for not acting sooner.

"We are from Konoha," Shikamaru said, stepping in before anyone else could speak. Even in his mid-twenties Shikamaru managed to be the mediator for most people, intent on approaching the man for help, not confrontation.

"More eyes can be an opportunity. I have a small group of people from Kirigakure with me and we're all looking for the village." The man paused, straightening to his full height. "My name is Ao, I'm looking for the Mizukage."

That was the funny thing about disasters. Some people caved in and refused to share any information; while others, such as Ao, decided to share it all. Sakura admired the man for the honesty he was showing, sure now that he was a Shinobi.

"Shikamaru, Kiba, Ino, Sakura and Sai," Shikamaru waved his arm around to introduce his team before tilting his head, taking in Ao. He wasn't a threat right now and they could always use information about what had happened.

"We'll join you," he stated simply and Ao led them off with only a brief nod. Their walk was interrupted mainly by Ao talking to Shikamaru, gauging the reaction of Konoha and the other remaining nations. The talk then turned onto the presence of the mythical village and Sakura was surprised to see how passionate Ao was about its existence.

"I don't doubt it exists," he muttered, looking around briefly before leading Team Shikamaru onwards, cutting through some scrub bushes and going round one side of the mountains. They had finally reached the vast structures in their entirety and it was amazing how small they could make someone feel.

"What do you mean?" Shikamaru posed the question, glancing at the members of his team, a signal to obviously listen in carefully, before returning a calculated gaze to Ao. Ao shifted the patch over his eye slightly, running the same hand through his hair as he did so in one smooth movement.

"Taiyōgakure. I don't doubt that it exists. Many people are sceptical, but I find myself taken with this... fairy tale of a village."

Shikamaru could see simply by looking at him that Ao wasn't a man who believed in happiness and sunshine. He was a hard-worn shinobi, through and through, but if someone like him could believe in the village did that make it even more possible for it to exist?

Ao chuckled. "Of course it's not a village of fairy tales. Not even I could be that fanciful, but the people are going somewhere. There aren't that many habitable places in these mountains - believe me, we struggled to find a place to camp out - and there have been a lot of people passing through."

Shikamaru nodded and Sakura thought about where the people could be. They were going somewhere, that much was obvious as bodies weren't exactly piling up on the mountain sides, but no one knew where it was they could be going. That was the hardest thing, not knowing or understanding.

"A few more minutes," Ao said before silencing the group. They walked quietly, members trading small glances every now and again. They were about to be led to a possible gold mine, where Konoha could potentially learn the whereabouts of Taiyōgakure, if they were fortunate enough.

They entered a cave, small and dark, and Ao led them to the back. He was quiet and careful, as if he didn't want to disturb something.

"I'm back with people from Konoha."

There was a small fire, around which a group of people were huddled, around five or six. They all looked up with wide eyes, dirty faces peering at the newcomers with curiosity.

They were children.

"They're going to help us find the golden village," Ao said, crouching down so that he was level with the seated children. They all turned to him, smiles beginning to creep across their faces as the fear was momentarily displaced.

"Ch-children?" Ino's voice was slightly shaky, almost as if she hadn't thought of the prospect of the victims being children. Sakura had been forced to when she went to look for survivors, Kiba had most likely smelt that they were children and both Shikamaru and Sai kept their emotions in check.

"An unfortunate side to all of this. Possibly the greatest, aside from the deaths," Ao said softly.

Akamaru neared the fire, whining in the back of his throat. Kiba huffed back, sending Akamaru forwards. The children's eyes fixed on the massive dog, watching as he sniffed the air, licking one of their hands.

Soon laughter filled the cave as Akamaru allowed the children to climb over him, batting at them gently with his paws. It also allowed the ninjas time to talk, and Ao directed them over to one of the corners with a wave of his hand.

"You probably understand why I want to believe in Taiyōgakure now. If it exists, they'll have a place to live. They don't have any parents..." Ao trailed off, eyes glancing between the Konoha group and the children playing with the dog. "I have to offer them some hope."

Sakura wondered how much hope you could have when your whole life was destroyed. Konoha had been dealt its blows in time, but never had the village been destroyed and hundreds, thousands, of people killed. She couldn't imagine holding onto a dream that was unlikely to be real, but wasn't that what people did in hard times?

People believed. People hoped. People dreamed.

The Village of the Sun was exactly these things. Stowed away, hidden, and the ultimate paradise in all the destruction, it was easy to see why everyone could suddenly believe. Sakura wanted to believe, but that wasn't the same as actually believing.

In her mind, Sakura couldn't handle that a wonderful, supposedly wonderful, place such as Taiyōgakure really existed. How could it when there were such horrors in the world?

Or maybe it was hard to accept that the village existed yet it hadn't made any visible movement against the threat. Which was a horrible thing to hold them accountable for, and even dismiss them for, but if they had so much power, why hadn't they done anything?

Of course, not even Konoha knew anything about these attacks. It was a safe bet to say that no one, not even the Raikage, the leader of their Alliance, had specific Intel. If he had, A would have shared it. That much was clear, as Kumo was sitting as tightly as Konoha, waiting and watching quietly.

Even the genius minds of the Nara clan were no match against a hidden enemy. Shikamaru had led the main investigations, thinking about every possibility as to who the enemy could be, but the results had turned up blank. They simply had no knowledge of something this destructive, and Konoha was unlikely to be willing to expend militant force to search over the nations. Any movement by another village that was as large as Konoha would cause a red alert from other nations, as well as leave the actual village open to attack.

"Would you consider coming back to Konoha?"

Shikamaru's question was blunt, but not cutting enough to be heard by the children. Ao's stature changed, the man drawing himself up a little more and fixing Shikamaru with a pointed stare.

"These children have hopes to see Taiyōgakure. I've made a promise to them and one to myself to find my Kage. I'm afraid we cannot be of help any longer if your option is to go back to your village and ours is to keep looking."

Shikamaru, for all his smarts, sometimes needed help in approaching people. Ino smiled at Sakura, shuffling forward slightly so she was just ahead of Shikamaru.

"May we assist? All we really want to do is find out a little more, and there's a high probability that you'll meet with some other people."

Kiba smiled too. "Plus Akamaru would make a good travelling companion."

Ao looked at the group, frowning slightly as he debated internally. While they raised good points, Sakura knew he still didn't trust them.

"I'm an experienced medic. Are any of the children hurt?"

Ao's eyes cleared, decision made, as he directed Sakura over to the children, calling one or two over. Sakura made a quick start, nodding to Ino as she began.

Men. Completely clueless that the two women had just manipulated them all into the desired outcome.

.

Terumi Mei was a stunningly powerful woman, Naruto noted. It was clear in the way she carried herself, from the way she spoke to the way she flicked strands of hair out of her eyes. She had commanded the former Bloody Mist for years now, handling the change in control from the dictator Yagura (who it was known had been placed under a genjutsu) and changing hundreds of former policies.

She had shaped Mizu into what it was today, or what it had been until yesterday. Naruto couldn't fathom how she felt, but he knew what it was like to lose your village, your home.

"I have to file some paperwork," was the first thing Naruto said as they stepped inside his office. Mei ignored him, walking over to the chair that sat in front of the desk and half-falling into it.

"Have you finally decided to pay attention?"

From the moment it had been mentioned that the Mizukage could be turning up at their doorstep, Naruto had known she would be difficult. Anyone whose village had been destroyed would be difficult, but the fact that she knew more about Taiyōgakure, could easily see the power that was hidden to everyone else in the village, and believed in the sense behind the fantasies made her even more likely to be angry.

She had lost her village, thousands of her people killed in seconds. There was nothing Mei could have done, but she wouldn't see it like that. Naruto knew his village carried enormous power, if not in the actual village itself then the people inside. But the fact that they had remained a secret prompted others to see them as a potential threat, unless they were thankful for sanctuary.

"It's not a case of paying attention," Naruto replied, pulling a form out from his desk drawer and sitting to fill it out. It was a session's form, one that was used to summarise the minutes taken from meetings. This particular one was summarising the question Naruto had posed to the civilian proportion of the village. They were happy to allow Taiyōgakure to, technically, go to war. Everyone was in the know now and everyone was on the same level.

"But Taiyōgakure will be helping the remaining nations in the upcoming war."

Mei's eyes fixed Naruto's and he allowed the natural colour change, his eyes sinking into a light purple. Mei was unfazed and raised her chin slightly instead.

"How can it be a war when we have no idea of the enemy?"

Naruto didn't see why he had to discuss his village's affairs with her, but he would anyway. Mei deserved to know, in one way, but it didn't mean that Naruto would put his village at a disadvantage. Mei no longer had her village and she had to realise that she couldn't control Taiyōgakure. She no longer had full authority and Naruto had the right to censor information to her.

"We already have a few ideas. Our main priority is to get any survivors into the village, through the makeshift camps and into houses. Then they can be provided for and set up a new life from themselves. When this is all over, they will be offered the choice to return to their village and start anew there. People matter the most to us."

Mei's eyes narrowed. "And the money? It doesn't just grow on trees."

Naruto nodded, signing his name at the bottom of the page and storing the paper away in a file. He returned the file to the cabinet and locked it, returning to the conversation as if there had been no gap.

"Our village happens to be very lucky. We are prosperous and money is not an issue for us. Anything we can make ourselves we do, but we are not adverse to a trading system with the other villages later."

Mei opened her mouth as if to continue questioning, but Naruto shook his head gently.

"I'm afraid I have another meeting to go to and you look as if you could use some rest. Take the evening and morning off, I'll have someone show you to my house, and we'll talk more later. Is there anyone you want us to keep a look out for and send them to you?"

The Mizukage lowered her eyes. "Thank you, Naruto. For everything... my villagers, your kindness... If Choujuurou or Ao come here, then please send them to me straight away."

It was amazing that Mei had lasted this long as she looked ready to collapse. Naruto helped her to stand, supporting her lightly as they exited his office. Naruto was to call one last council session before they began formulating proper plans, but it had to happen now. Time was of the utmost importance, especially as the other villages were likely to be targeted soon.

A member of the elite ranking ninja of Taiyōgakure (similar to Konoha's ANBU) was summoned by Naruto and he instructed the ninja to take Mei to his home and ensure she was comfortable. He promised talks for the following day, but she couldn't be expected to make informed decisions half-asleep.

That done, Naruto changed direction, heading for the room he held meetings in. As expected, every member of the former Akatsuki was sitting down, except for Itachi.

"I need someone to look out for two people. One is called Choujuurou and the other Ao. The Mizukage wants them to be taken directly to her."

A hand was raised, blue nails gently glinting as they caught the light. "I'll go," Konan said, standing and preparing to set out. Naruto nodded with a smile, thanking her silently.

"The main reason we're all here is to set up for tomorrow. We have full clearance to join in against our common enemy. Our priority must still be the people, that goes without saying, but we'll be taking an active role."

Naruto grinned suddenly, "I suppose you should go get some sleep. I'm going to look through admissions for our Mizukage's people before I go to sleep, but I'll need you back here first thing."

The group nodded, leaving the room in quiet as they had come. It had been a tiring day for everyone, but tomorrow and the following days would be even more so. Sleep was a fantastic idea.

It didn't take long for Naruto to check the admissions and he found neither of the names he was looking for. The Taiyōkage made one small detour before returning to his home, and he smiled as Itachi looked up.

"I'll see you later," Naruto whispered as he stole a kiss, waggling his fingers gently as they parted. Itachi watched sadly, wishing that all of this could be taken back, for more reasons than just wanting to go back home with his partner.

.

They hadn't been walking for too long when they noticed a figure in a dark cloak. It was lined with gold, an odd choice of colours, but Sakura noted the change in Ao instantly.

"They're from the village."

At once, the children turned their attention from Akamaru to the figure, watching as the person drew closer. Sakura moved her hand subtly to where she hid her kunai and noted the others in Team Shikamaru do the same. No matter if they said this person was from 'the village', they could still be an enemy.

"We're looking for-"

"Taiyōgakure," the figure finished, her voice revealing her gender. The group had set out in the evening, knowing that the day would be crawling with more people, which would make it harder to pin point an accurate location. If they could find the village in the dark and with the extras from Konoha, then they would have a better chance of getting through this.

It had come from Sakura explaining they needed a proper hospital to deal with one of the children's injuries, or else they faced a possible leg amputation. The boy was hoicked up on Ao's back at the moment, sleeping peacefully thanks to the medicine Sakura had given him.

"Are you Ao?"

Sakura looked sharply to the mentioned man, not knowing where this could go. Apparently, neither did Ao and he too stiffened, a hand curling slightly to protect the child on his back. Team Shikamaru shifted, blocking the children from the woman's sight.

"Terumi Mei asked our kage to find you. You're to report straight to her. She's at the Taiyōkage's residence, inside of the village."

The woman was close now, close enough to see dark hair and a lip piercing. She seemed almost familiar, but whether it was the dark or she simply didn't know the woman, Sakura couldn't quite tell. She'd have to wait until she could see the woman properly.

"You'll take us to the village?" The hope in Ao's voice was extraordinary. Even now, Sakura was sceptical that this village existed.

"Yes," the woman replied, eyes glancing over the group. Sakura heard Ino take in a breath, but ignored her. They had more pressing matters than Ino being intimidated by some woman.

"Konoha, you cannot be allowed inside the village. You may leave now; your services are no longer needed."

Akamaru growled, sending the children skittering away from him for the first time. The woman in the cloak stared down at the dog before turning her attention to Kiba.

"Calm your dog," she said, directing her next statement to them all. "You don't need the village. Our decision has been made and if it is in favour of helping, we will likely see you again. If it isn't, then please let us help the people."

The children had gathered round the woman and she placed a hand on two of them, letting them be assured by her presence.

"Thank you for showing care, but this is far greater than Konoha. Please tell Tsunade-sama to be aware of that."

She turned, taking Ao and the children with her. Ao thanked Konoha briefly before returning to follow the woman supposedly from Taiyōgakure. They waited a moment, until the darkness swallowed the others, and then Shikamaru signalled for them to follow.

"We can trust her," Ino said quietly, remaining still when the others moved. "She's... I recognise her. She used to be part of the Akatsuki."

Sakura's eyes widened and her head snapped round to try and see where the woman had left. "You mean Konan?"

Ino nodded, biting her lip in worry. "Yeah. I'd recognise her anywhere. She has this way of speaking too. Almost as if she doesn't care, but when you listen, you can tell that it's tearing her apart."

Shikamaru drew level with his old friend.

"Are you sure? We need to make a decision now and this could be based solely on what you think."

Ino nodded, blond hair bobbing in the moonlight. "Positive. She was Konan."

Running a hand over his head, Shikamaru sighed. "Do we go back to Konoha with this news or try to follow her?"

It was Sai who made the decision.

"If she is Konan, then there's no way we'll be getting to the village. We might as well cut our losses and return, hoping that we can pick up some willing people on the way."

As hard a decision as it was to simply turn away, they had no other option. Anything involving the Akatsuki (former or non) was likely to be way over anyone's heads back in Konoha, but they could try.

They were starting to unravel the maze to the Village of the Sun.

.


End file.
